Novobiocin as an insecticide



United States Patent 0, Ce Miflfiili verulent carriers-for example, water, petroleum distil- 3,317,373 lates, talc, clay, ground walnut hulls, or other, carriers NOVOBIOCIN AS AN INSECTICIDE well known in the art. The resulting compositions may Ford H. Harries, Wenatchee, Wash, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secre- 5 tary of Agriculture be applied by the usual spraying or dusting procedures. The compound novobiocin exhibits acidic properties No Drawing. Filed on. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,539 and thus may be in the acid form or it may be infhe 7 Claims. (CL 1 7 33 form of a salt such as the sodium, potassium, or calcium salt. All of these forms are of equal insecticidal value, A non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in the and the term novobiocin as used herein includes the invention herein described, throughout the world for all 10 acid and the salt froms of the antibiotic. Ordinarily, purposes of the United States Government, with th the antibiotic is available in commerce as the sodium salt power to grant sublicenses for such purposes, is hereby and is used in such form. granted to the Government of the United States of The following examples illustrate the effectiveness of America. novobiocin as an insecticide:

This invention relates to and has among its objects the E l 1 provision of novel processes for destroying insects and xamp e for protecting plants and other materials from insects. Aqueous solutions of novobiocin were tested against Further objects of the invention will be evident from the a u dli g m s by applying a dr plet of the solution following description wherein parts and percentages are n the ven ral ab men 0f the insects and then keeping by weight unless otherwise specified. The abbreviation them Under Observation to note the number of eggs laid ppm. used herein means parts per million, and their mortality. In these tests, the novobiocin was Novobiocin is an antibiotic produced by Streptomyces pp in a Sfifies dilutions, 2400, niveus. It has been reported to be active against human 150, and 75 p.p.m., and there were ten pairs of moths pathogens, for example, Staphylococcus aureus. Its treated individually and held in separate cages for each structureaccording to Hoekserna et al., Jour. Am. dilution. The results obtained are tabulated below:

1 0,0-dimethyl S-[4-oxo-1,2,3-ber1zotriazin-3 (4H)-yl-methyl]phosphorodithioate in wettable powder form (U.S. Patent 2,758,115).

Chem. Soc. 78, 2019 and Hinman et al., Jour. Am. ExampleZ Chem 3789-15 as follows: The procedure as described in Example 1 was applied OCONH: OH to adult pear psyllas. The results are given below:

R0 OH NHCO Concentration No. of eggs per Mortality,

R Agent applied of agent, female, after after 24 hrs., R O O R ppm. 24 hrs. percent R/\() \O \OH 1,200 0.0 74 R 0.01 63 0.65 6 (wherein R stands for CH 5 I have found that novobiocin exhibits potent insecti- 5 cidal properties and that it can be utilized effectively for Example 3 s c Qn 9 iIlSeCtS- F0r eXamP1e, I f found that The procedure as described in Example 1 was applied HOVOblOCln is extremely t0X1c t0 the codllng moth and to green peach aphids, 30 replicates of 10 alate females. is many times more toxic to this insect than the best ma- Th resuns are as follows; terial heretofore recommended for its control, i.e., 0,0- 60 T t M t H t dimethyl S-[4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3 (4H)-yl-rnethyl] g 1200 or 31 phosphorodithioate. Other insects against which novogzg iggg 600 P 3 2? 88 a l, llas, een biocin is effective are, for ex mpe pear psy gr Untreated control 6 peach aphids, and two-spotted spider mites.

In proceeding in accordance with the invention, novo- Having thus described my invention, I claim:

biocin is applied directly to the insects to be destroyed 1. A method for destroying insects which comprises or to the locus where the insects are present or where contacting the insects with novobiocin.

they may be expected. Such locus may be, for example, 2. A method for protecting a locus from insects which plant parts, soil, animal or human habitations, etc. In comprises applying novobiocin to the locus.

such applications, the novobiocin is generally employed 3. A method for protecting plants from insects which in a form diluted with conventional liquid or solid pulcomprises applying novobiocin to them.

7. A method for destroying mites which comprises contacting them with novobiocin.

No references cited.

3 4. A method for destroying codling moths which comprises contacting them with novobiocin.

5. A method for destroying pear psyllas which comprises contacting them with novobiocin.

'6. A method for destroying aphids which comprises 5 LEWIS GQTTS Primary Examine contacting them with novobiocin. 

1. A METHOD FOR DESTROYING INSECTS WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING THE INSECTS WITH NOVOBIOCIN. 